Tobias Raus accuses BMW of dividing society over refusal of official car

Politician accuses carmaker of dividing society

Tobias Raus, a 35-year-old representative of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) who serves as the head of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, published an open letter to BMW's management. In the document, he expressed deep surprise and disappointment over the cancellation of the offer to lease an official car.

The politician noted that the decision was made just hours after his election to the post. Raus emphasised that the company had not provided any clear public explanation for its actions. "Should a person's political beliefs determine in the future whether a German company will maintain business relations with them?" he asked in his address to the board of directors.

Details of the conflict and company reaction

According to Raus, if the refusal is directly linked to his membership in the AfD, such a decision is questionable. He accused BMW's management of contributing to division in society. In his letter, the politician also called on BMW dealers in Saxony-Anhalt and across Germany to protest in front of the company's headquarters, emphasising the importance of political openness and equal treatment of clients.

In response to an inquiry, representatives of BMW Group stated that, as a matter of principle, they do not comment on relationships with individual clients.

Context: how the government car fleet works

The official car fleet of the Saxony-Anhalt state government and parliament consists of several vehicles, most of which are BMWs. As a rule, these cars are not assigned to specific individuals but are used jointly by several politicians and officials.

At the same time, a small number of vehicles, including the car of the parliament head, are assigned to specific people. It is known that the term of the contract for the use of the state parliament head's car was due to expire in November.